Both sisters fell exhausted onto their beds almost immediately and slept until well into the afternoon. Buffy was up first. She remembered the promise she'd made to her sister that morning, to check up on Spike, but even with the danger past, she was nervous about leaving Dawn alone. Dawn had been through hell the past few days, and Buffy wanted someone there with her. Buffy decided to call Willow, and Willow and Tara agreed to come stay with Dawn while Buffy went out. When they got there, Buffy pulled them aside to talk to them away from where Dawn could hear.
"I know you probably wouldn't say anything, but just want to make sure. Don't say anything around Dawn about, well, you know… Giles… being willing to kill her… everyone thinking she had to be…", she trailed off.
"No, of course we won't, Buffy."
"Good. She so does not need to know that." Buffy went over and hugged her sister. "I'm going out for a little while. I won't be long".
Dawn just nodded.
Buffy didn't say where she was going. She was a little afraid of what she might find, and just in case, she hoped Dawn wouldn't think to ask about Spike real soon. Dawn seemed really fragile right now, and Buffy didn't fancy having to tell her if Spike was dust.
Buffy stopped by the butcher's to purchase some blood, and then headed off to Spike's crypt. When she got there, she started to push the door open to go in, but for once stopped herself. She called through the partially open door, "Spike, it's Buffy. Can I come in?" When no reply was forthcoming, she called again, "Spike?" Finally, she opened the door the rest of the way and went in. Spike was laying on his bed, not moving. *Well, it is still the middle of the day. Not surprising he's asleep, I guess.* She moved quietly so as not to wake him. He had been the most seriously injured of any of them, and she figured he definitely needed his rest. She put the blood she'd brought into his fridge, then quietly made her way back out.
Buffy got back to her house. "Hi Will. How's Dawn doing?"
"OK, I guess. She hasn't really said much, but she ate a bit, and she's not freaking out or anything. That's good, right?"
Buffy looked over at her sister, who was curled up around a pillow on the couch and sitting staring quietly at the wall. "Yeah, I think she just needs some time. Thank you for staying with her. You too, Tara." Tara smiled kind of sadly back at Buffy.
Willow and Tara let themselves out, and Buffy went over to sit by Dawn. Buffy stroked Dawn's hair. Dawn quickly looked up at her. "Did you check on Spike? You said you would check on Spike." Buffy was really grateful that Spike was still undead, but she realized that she had no way of knowing if he'd been conscious at all since they'd left him. A pang of guilt swept over her at the thought of lying to her sister, but she just couldn't tell her that he might not have regained consciousness yet. She didn't think Dawn could handle that right now. "I took over some blood for him. Figured he'd be pretty hungry."
"And he's OK?"
Buffy swallowed hard, "Same old Spike." She tried to sound as cheerful as she could.
Dawn just nodded again and went back to staring at the wall.
Later that evening, Dawn went upstairs to get ready for bed. She didn't think she'd be able to sleep though. She pulled a chair over by the open window and sat down, staring out into the night. She'd been thinking all day about what she knew, and about the fact that she couldn't tell Buffy or anyone else. She owed him that much at least. She was worried though, about the consequences of keeping her secret. They were certainly no worse than the consequences that could have resulted from what he'd done, but still… She would need to confront him about it, but with Buffy playing mother hen, she'd have a hard time getting away to talk to him. She probably wouldn't be able to find him at night anyway. She sighed and crawled into bed, but what little sleep she did get that night was restless, as she felt it happen again and again in her dreams.